Good Morning, RVA: Near-record highs
But still soggy.
Photo by: dannyjohnryder
Good morning, RVA! It’s 45 °F at the moment, and today’s outlook is soggy and warm, like, 73 °F warm. It’s not the soggiest and warmest December 29th on record though, that honor–at least for the temperature bit–belongs to 1984’s high of 78 °F . I couldn’t find soggy stats, but you can expect rain throughout the morning.
Water cooler
The debate over Richmond’s most significant historically insignificant tree continues. The Richmond Free Press has the story of Gary Flowers, who’s started a petition in opposition of the tree. While I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone come out against a tree, I think this anti-tree position makes a lot more sense than the alternative. I also think we all might secretly be on an episode of Parks and Rec. You can sign the petition right here.
This piece by Ned Oliver about Michelle Mosby, which I think is the first I’ve read about any 2016 election campaign, seems a little intense for December 29th. I’m still trying to get through my remaining Christmas cookies, and he’s over there reporting on campaign financing! Anyway, you must read the last paragraph for a list of potential mayoral candidates–including one I’d heard whispers of but haven’t seen written down until now. Of course, I have been buried in cookies for the last fortnight, so I might have missed something.
In the dark of night/right around the holidays, the Big Bike Race™ economic impact report dropped. Was it all worth it? How do we even know? Should we have Big Bike Race™s every year? Susan Howson has the answers after doing the PDF-reading dirty work for you.
Susan Winiecki’s nicely puts some less-than-awesome info about the status of the National Slavery Museum Foundation. I’m not sure what role this group officially has in the future of the Lumpkin’s Jail site–I’m not sure anyone does. But before we move forward on this ultra important project, maybe we need to get the political structure behind it sorted out? As a start, it is definitely time to reread Maat Free’s piece explaining the back story of the National Slavery Museum Foundation and its connection to the city’s official Slave Trail Commission.
A grand jury has decided not to charge Cleveland police officers after they shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice.
Sports!
- Spiders take on Texas Tech (who is “also receiving votes”) in Lubbock, Texas tonight at 5:00 PM. You can watch on something called FSSW+.
This morning’s longread
This Is the Brain that Shot President James Garfield
The brain of Charles Guiteau is more than a historical oddity. Scientists at the time of his death thought it could unlock a mystery that had plagued and terrorized humanity from the beginning: What separates a normal man who lives by the law from a man motivated senselessly to murder? Guiteau’s murderous act, his apparent insanity, and the ensuing diagnosis of his brain came at a point in history where society was shifting away from the idea of sin being a black and white question, to one where we recognize there’s a great field of gray obscuring these answers.
This morning’s Instagram
— ∮∮∮ —
Want to automagically get Good Morning, RVA in your inbox every morning? Sign up below!
-
Recommend this
on Facebook -
Report an error
-
Subscribe to our
Weekly Digest
Ross Catrow
Founder and publisher of RVANews.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.